"Wiped Out" - How 10 Ukrainian Drone Operators Took Out 2 NATO Battalions

2026-02-14 | UPDATES #131 | The Hedgehog 2025 NATO military exercises ended in a “drone massacre”, courtesy of elite Ukrainian forces. This is what we’ve been saying on the channel for the last year and is corroborated by many of the guests with military experience that we have interviewed. It’s an object lesson for NATO — the wakeup call this hubristic and sclerotic organisation needs. And it’s better this lesson is learned by conducting exercises with allies, the Ukrainians, than in a direct confrontation with elite Russia drone units like Rubicon in a hostile war situation. We are not ready for the next war, and now NATO has the most compelling evidence of this fact. ----------SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformation----------A REQUEST FOR HELP!I'm heading back to Kyiv this week, to film, do research and conduct interviews. The logistics and need for equipment and clothing are a little higher than for my previous trips. It will be cold, and may be dark also. If you can, please assist to ensure I can make this trip a success. My commitment to the audience of the channel, will be to bring back compelling interviews conducted in Ukraine, and to use the experience to improve the quality of the channel, it's insights and impact. Let Ukraine and democracy prevail! https://buymeacoffee.com/siliconcurtain/extrashttps://www.patreon.com/siliconcurtainhttps://www.gofundme.com/f/scaling-up-campaign-to-fight-authoritarian-disinformationNONE OF THIS CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT YOU!So what's next? We're going to Kyiv in January 2026 to film on the ground, and will record interviews with some huge guests. We'll be creating opportunities for new interviews, and to connect you with the reality of a European city under escalating winter attack, from an imperialist, genocidal power. PLEASE HELP ME ME TO GROW SILICON CURTAINWe are planning our events for 2026, and to do more and have a greater impact. After achieving more than 12 events in 2025, we will aim to double that! 24 events and interviews on the ground in Ukraine, to push back against weaponized information, toxic propaganda and corrosive disinformation. Please help us make it happen!----------SOURCES: Exercise Hedgehog / Siil 2025 (official exercise details)Estonian Defence Forces — Exercise Hedgehog 2025 overview (dates, participation). ERR (Estonian Public Broadcasting) — start of Hedgehog 25 with ~16,000 troops. NATO multimedia coverage of Hedgehog 25 / Siil 2025 (16,000 troops). UNITED24 Media (Feb 13, 2026) — summary of WSJ reporting; Delta; quotes from Estonian officers; “two battalions in a day” framing. Ukrainska Pravda (Feb 13, 2026) — detailed relay of WSJ opinion piece; scenario description; Delta; mock strikes. DroneXL (Feb 12, 2026) — secondary reporting recap (counts and timeline). RFE/RL (Sep 17, 2025) — Rubicon specialization, EW/SIGINT focus, systematic targeting claims, expert quotes. AP News — reporting on Russia’s drone production surge, organizational push for drone branch, fiber-optic drones, and training infrastructure. FDD Long War Journal (Jan 28, 2026) — recruitment drive for Russia’s Unmanned Systems Forces; training promises; scaling claims (attributed). RUSI (Nov 13, 2025) — commentary highlighting Rubicon and drone-driven battlefield transparency.Intelligence Online (Jan 27, 2026) — report snippet on Rubicon hiring and training (subscriber article). The Independent (Feb 6, 2026) — wargame scenario and political hesitation dynamics.Reddit (Feb 2026) — snapshot of public/social reaction and commentary. ----------